Baltic Sea plane crash: occupants presumably dead – pilot was a well-known Cologne carnivalist

Created: 06/10/2022, 05:00

By: Johanna Werning

The private plane that crashed in the Baltic Sea is said to have been flown by Peter Griesemann, President of the Blue Sparks for many years.

Body parts have now been discovered.

• Drama in the air: On Sunday afternoon (September 4th) a small plane crashed over the Baltic Sea.

  According to the Latvian authorities, all occupants of the crashed plane died.

  The search has been discontinued.

  But investigations into the cause of the crash continue.

• The inmates are Peter Griesemann from Cologne, President of the Blue Sparks for many years, and his family.

  The carnival association mourns the 72-year-old and the three other inmates.

• The cause of the crash is not yet known.

  Several pieces of wreckage were found, but without a black box.

  Many questions are therefore still unclear.

  The Cologne Carnival expresses its sympathy.

• This ticker is continuously updated.

Update from September 17, 4:16 p.m

.: Many questions about the tragic plane crash of Peter Griesemann and his family are still open, but at least relatives have now said goodbye.

On Saturday (September 17th) a public funeral service took place in Cologne Cathedral, as reported by the

.

Hundreds of people came to commemorate the four members of the Griesemann and Völlmer families.

Among them was Cologne's Mayor Henriette Reker.

The Blaue Funken and other Cologne carnival clubs lined up in full clothing to pay particular respect to their honorary president, Peter Griesemann.

"We thank all the rescue workers and helpers," said family members, according to the

"Your great sympathy, comforting words, your silent sympathy and the many hugs carry us through this dark time.

The feeling of deep connection gives us strength for the great loss we have suffered”.

Meanwhile, the funeral of the deceased only takes place in the closest family circle.

Peter Griesemann: Pilot of the crashed Cessna and former Funken President

► He was President of the Blue Sparks from 2014 to 2018.

► From 2000 to 2014 he was Senate President of the Traditional Corps.

► Most recently, he was appointed Honorary President of the Carnival Society.

► Griesemann also campaigned for the expansion of the Funken Tower in Cologne.

Cessna 551 crashes in the Baltic Sea: "Investigations are ongoing"

Update from September 13, 11:46 a.m.:

How did the mysterious crash of the Cessna 551 happen on September 4?

Furthermore, many questions remain unanswered.

"The investigations are ongoing," said a spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation BFU.

The next steps: How can the wreck be recovered from the Baltic Sea at a depth of 60 meters?

"The agreements are currently underway."

At the same time, the examinations of the salvaged aircraft parts, private belongings of the occupants and body parts are currently underway.

Although the four inmates are said to be Peter Griesemann and his family, this has not yet been officially confirmed by the authorities.

“The DNA tests are currently underway,” explains the BFU spokesman.

"During the rescue, you have to check whether there are still people on the plane."

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Plane crash in the Baltic Sea: "Stunned and deeply shocked"

Update from September 10, 1:22 p.m .:

The investigation into the crashed Cessna 551 continues.

Many questions are still unclear.

After the Blaue Funken published an obituary for the pilot and honorary president Peter Griesemann, the “blue-gold” civil guard now also offered their condolences.

One was "stunned and deeply shocked by the news of the Griesemann family's plane crash," says a Facebook post.

"Our thoughts are with the family, loved ones and our friends of the Blue Sparks.

We wish you dear Björn and dear Georg a lot of strength in these difficult hours.

Cessna 551 crashes in the Baltic Sea: occupants "torn from life in an incredibly tragic way"

Update from September 9th, 5:23 p.m.:

The Blue Sparks publish an emotional obituary.

Ex-President and Honorary President Peter Griesemann is believed to have died in the plane crash in the Baltic Sea.

"The word 'thank you' is too small for his work and everything that Peter Griesemann has done for the Blaue Funken, the Bauverein and the carnival," it said on Friday.

"He left a significant mark on society and his footprint will remain forever." The Blue Sparks concluded, "We are left with nothing but deep sadness."

Baltic Sea plane crash: investigations are ongoing – results only in November?

Update from September 9th, 2:04 p.m.:

Many questions are still open, including how the Cessna crash could have happened.

This is exactly what is now to be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU).

"Colleagues are currently on site and investigating," said a BFU spokesman to 24RHEIN.

The mission in Latvia will continue until at least Monday.

If necessary, the colleagues stay longer, it is said.

"But that is spontaneously watched."

One problem with the investigation: The private jet had neither a flight recorder (black box) nor a voice recorder.

This makes the investigation difficult.

Nevertheless, it should be clarified what exactly happened in the Cessna 551.

A first interim report should be available at the end of November.

"The final report will be at the end of the year." Normally, the investigation should be completed within a year, the BFU spokesman continues.

Update from September 8th, 5:32 p.m

.: In addition to the wreckage, Latvian rescue workers have now also found personal items belonging to the occupants of the Cessna 551, which crashed over the Baltic Sea on Sunday.

The finds were discovered on Wednesday with the help of a robot on the seabed, Latvian Navy spokeswoman Liva Veita told the Leta news agency on Thursday.

The film recordings of the robot were therefore handed over to the responsible authorities in order to decide on further measures.

According to Veita, the search operation of the Navy is now complete.

According to the Latvian authorities, there is no longer any hope of survivors.

According to the Latvian accident investigation authority, the further investigation of the plane crash will now be taken over by German authorities.

"We are a kind of supporting body from Latvia, but Germany will have all the further information," said agency head Anita Skinuma.

Plane crash in the Baltic Sea: All occupants are believed to be dead – Cessna wreckage discovered

Update from September 8, 12:04 p.m

.: More wreckage of the Cessna 551 was found.

This was confirmed by the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) on Thursday morning to

.

“The Latvian Navy has completed the search work.

Various wreckage parts were recovered, which are now being examined on site by three of our employees from Braunschweig, who are already in Latvia," said a spokesman.

Despite the important find, further investigations into the cause of the accident, among other things, are still very difficult.

Because, contrary to expectations, it turned out that the aircraft had neither a flight recorder (black box) nor a voice recorder, the AAIB explained.

The authority has been officially responsible for the investigation since Wednesday (September 7th).

Baltic Sea plane crash: More wreckage discovered

Update from September 7, 11:31 a.m .:

Latvian rescue workers found more wreckage on Wednesday morning.

The parts were found about 200 meters from the original search location at a depth of about 60 meters, the head of the Latvian Sea Rescue Coordination Center Peteris Subbota said on television on Wednesday.

According to Subbota, it should now be clarified by further analyzes whether it is actually the aircraft you are looking for.

The remains are relatively small, which is why lifting them with cranes should not be a problem.

However, the depth at which the parts lie could make the work more difficult. 

Baltic Sea plane crash: occupants presumably dead – pilot was a well-known Cologne carnivalist

Update from September 7th, 9:42 a.m.:

Three days have passed since the mysterious crash of the Cessna 551.

According to the Latvian authorities, all occupants of the crashed plane died.

"It is now clear that there is no hope of finding survivors," said the head of the Latvian Sea Rescue Coordination Center, Peteris Subbota, on Latvian television on Tuesday evening.

According to the finds so far during the search operation in the sea, this is the first conclusion to be drawn about the moment of impact.

"The speed at the time of impact was very high and the plane broke up into many small pieces."  

After several pieces of wreckage and debris from the crashed machine were recovered from the sea, the rescuers have now also found human body parts near the crash site.

The remains were handed over to the criminal police for further investigation.

They were discovered on Monday evening in the Baltic Sea before dark.

Many questions about the accident and its cause remained unanswered.

This also includes how exactly the crash could have happened.

Baltic Sea plane crash: the pilot was a well-known Cologne carnivalist – body parts discovered

Update from September 6, 4:46 p.m .:

After the mysterious crash of a private jet in the Baltic Sea, Latvian emergency services are still looking for the missing occupants from Cologne.

After several pieces of wreckage and debris from the crashed machine had already been recovered from the sea, the rescuers also found human body parts near the crash site on Monday evening.

The remains have been handed over to the criminal police for further investigation, the spokeswoman for the Latvian Navy, Liva Veita, told the Leta news agency on Tuesday.

The four inmates are said to be Peter Griesemann, his wife Juliane, daughter Lisa and her friend.

Griesemann is an entrepreneur and former president of the Blue Sparks.

Various Cologne carnival societies have already expressed their condolences and Cologne's Mayor Reker also made a statement.

The four occupants of the Cessna 551 are currently still missing.

Investigations continue – including the cause of the crash.

The Cessna started in Jerez (Spain) and crashed in the Baltic Sea © Helmut Fohringer/dpa

Plane crash in the Baltic Sea: "Tragic accident" - the pilot was a well-known Cologne carnivalist

Update from September 6, 2:31 p.m .:

There are still many questions about the mysterious plane crash in the Baltic Sea.

The private jet crashed off the Latvian coast on Sunday.

The four inmates have been wanted ever since.

The assumption, however: pilot and carnival giant Peter Griesemann and his wife Juliane, daughter Lisa and her friend are dead.

Cologne's Mayor Henriette Reker also commented on the Griesemann family's misfortune.

Among other things, she wrote the following sentences to the bereaved: “I received the news of the tragic accident with honest dismay and it fills me with great dismay.

My very heartfelt condolences on your immeasurable loss.” This is reported by the

.

“The people of Cologne mourn with their families and friends,” Reker continued.

Baltic Sea plane crash: body parts discovered – pilot was carnival giant

Update from September 6, 12:14 p.m .:

After the mysterious crash of a plane in the Baltic Sea, Latvian rescue workers may have found human body parts in the sea in their search for the accident machine and occupants.

The remains were discovered on Monday evening in the Baltic Sea before nightfall, Latvian Navy spokeswoman Liva Veita told the Latvian agency Leta on Tuesday.

The head of the Latvian sea rescue coordination center, Peteris Subbota, confirmed the find on Latvian radio, which had been taken to Ventspils and handed over to the criminal police for investigation.

The family on board the crashed plane is said to be the well-known Cologne carnival enthusiast Peter Griesemann, his wife Juliane, daughter Lisa and her boyfriend.

This was also confirmed on Monday evening by the systems engineering company Griesemann from Wesseling near Cologne.

The identity of the passengers has not yet been officially confirmed.

Ships of the Latvian Navy and the Border Guard are used for sea searches.

According to the Latvian authorities, a total of eleven fragments of the crashed machine have been found so far.

“Today we will start searching underwater, looking for the largest parts of the plane, which most likely sank right at the crash site.

We use special Navy equipment to do this,” Subbota said.

For example, drones are to be used to search under the sea surface.

The private plane flew over the Baltic Sea on Sunday on its way from Spain to Cologne.

There it crashed into the sea in the evening off the coast west of the Latvian port of Ventspils.

Baltic Sea plane crash: the pilot was Peter Griesemann – former carnival president in Cologne

Updated first report from September 5, 10:20 a.m.:

Cologne – Also on Tuesday – two days after the Cessna crashed – there is no trace of the four occupants.

Now the search is to be continued with the help of underwater drones in the Baltic Sea, reports 24RHEIN.

The private plane was on its way from Spain to Cologne.

However, the private plane crashed into the sea off the Latvian coast for reasons that are still unknown.

The small aircraft with the registration "OE-FGR" was flown by Peter Griesemann, ex-president of the Blaue Funken, a well-known traditional corps in the Cologne carnival.

Now the search should be continued with the help of drones under water.

Plane crash: Cessna pilot was Peter Griesemann - flight route

• 12:56 (UTC): The Cessna with registration OE-FGR takes off from Jerez (Spain)

• 1 p.m. (UTC): The private plane flies towards Germany

• 1:44 p.m. (UTC): The Cessna flies west of Madrid

• 15:12 (UTC): The aircraft overflies Paris (France) after a short route change

• 15:40 (UTC): Pilot Griesemann flies into German airspace for the first time near Gemünd in the Eifel region, but then returns to Luxembourg and Belgium.

• 15:45 (UTC): The Cessna flies into German airspace near Hellenthal (south of Aachen).

• 15:51 (UTC): The plane flies over Troisdorf and Cologne Airport.

  However, instead of changing course and beginning the approach for landing, the Cessna flies north-east.

• 16:41 (UTC): The Cessna flies over Stralsund and the island of Rügen and heads for the Baltic Sea.

• 16:53 (UTC): The plane is flying over the island of Bornholm (Denmark)

• 17:37 (UTC): The course changes.

  The Cessna makes a right turn.

• 17:40 (UTC): the machine is circling over the Baltic Sea

• 17:44 (UTC): There is no longer any contact with the Cessna.

  The plane crashed

• Source: flightradar24

Cessna crashes in the Baltic Sea: Pilot was Peter Griesemann - shock for Cologne carnival

The terrible news reached the Cologne carnival as early as Monday: In addition to Peter Griesemann, his wife Juliane, daughter Lisa and her boyfriend are said to have been in the Cessna.

There is now no trace of all four.

The chances of survival are close to zero.

When asked by the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, the traditional corps confirmed that it should be Griesemann.

"We confirm the crash and the named people on board," it said on Monday morning.

"We know the hope that any of them survived is slim.

But we still want to wait for the result of the search operation on site in the Baltic Sea,” the company continued.

Particularly tragic: the current President of the Blue Sparks is Björn Griesemann, Peter Griesemann's son.

Although the wreck was found, there is still no trace of the occupants.

The Blaue Funken made the agreement together with Griesemann's family, according to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

Cessna crashes in the Baltic Sea: the pilot was Peter Griesemann – "his heart beat for the Fastelovend"

The Cologne Carnival Festival Committee also commented on Griesemann.

After all, in addition to his work at the Blue Sparks, he was also Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Festival Committee.

He also actively supported the Cologne Carnival Festival Committee and "helped to further develop the carnival", according to an emotional Facebook post.

“His heart beat for Fastelovend and the people it connects.

Our thoughts are with the Griesemann family, whom we wish a lot of strength during this difficult time.” The Red Sparks also mourn on their Facebook page.

"Our thoughts are with all family and friends, as well as the Blue Spark Corps.

We send you strength in these difficult times.

Leeven Pitter, as honorary constable of the reserve, you are and will always be one of us.

I say hello to you forever," they write.

Cessna crashes in the Baltic Sea: Luftwaffe wanted to intercept Griesemann's plane

It is still unclear on Tuesday how the mysterious crash could have happened.

The only thing that is clear is that the Type 551 Cessna took off from Jerez (Spain) on Sunday at 12:56 p.m. (UTC, +2 hours for German time) and wanted to land at Cologne/Bonn Airport.

However, the private plane never arrived there.

After several course changes, even the German Air Force was supposed to intercept the plane, since the air traffic control authorities could not reach the pilot.

At 17:31 (UTC), the Cessna finally began to lose altitude and eventually crashed off the Latvian coast.

The wreck is now to be brought to the port city of Ventspils and examined.

According to the Swedish broadcaster SVT, the flight safety expert Hans Kjäll suspects that there could have been a pressure drop in the cabin of the aircraft, after which the occupants had become unconscious.

This is also confirmed by the fact that communication with the aircraft had been interrupted for a long time before the accident.

Plane crash in the Baltic Sea: Several pieces of wreckage found – but there is no trace of Griesemann

As reported by the

, on September 5, Latvian rescue workers discovered a total of eleven fragments of the crashed aircraft.

According to Latvian Navy spokeswoman Liva Veita, ten pieces of wreckage were discovered in the sea on Monday.

Another had previously been found on Sunday, she told the Latvian news agency Leta.

On Tuesday, drones will also be used to search under water.